Ethinyl androstadienes



w 3,010,957 ETHINYL ANDROSTADIENE Arthur Nobile, Livingston, N.J., assignor to Schering Corgoration, Bloomfield, N..I a corporation of New ersey No Drawing. Filed Nov. 26, 1958, Ser. No. 776,4tl Claims. (Cl. 260-23955) This invention relates to a new group of therapeutically active steroid compounds. More particularly, this invention relates to certain 9a-halogeno-l7a-ethinyl androstadienes and to methods for their'preparation.

The compounds of the present invention can be represented by the following general formula:

agents, possess a degree of catabolic and anti-anabolic nited States Patent 0 activities and are indicated for use in conditions where anti-inflammatory and anti-anabolic agents have been employed, such as arthritis. The compounds of this invention are essentially free of androgenic and salt retaining effects.

The new compounds of the invention can be readily prepared by subjecting a 1,2-dihydro analog of a compound of the above formula to the action of a dehydrogenating microorganism whereby the starting compound is transformed into the 3-keto-A -diene.

In the preferred procedure for the microbiological conversion there is employed as the modifying microorganism a member of the family Corynebactriaceae, which includes the genera Corynebacterium, Listeria and Erysipelothrix. However, other dehydrogenating microorganisms, for example, Bacillus sphaericus (American Type Culture Collection 7055), have been found to be 'capable of accomplishing the desired conversion. As

best results have been obtained with Corynebacterium simpler, the alternate procedure will be further described mainly with particular reference to this organism but it will be understood that other dehydrogenatingmembers of the family Corynebactriaceae can be employed in In-lordcr' to 'obtaina desirable growth of, for example,

Coryn'ebacterium simplex (A .T.C.C. 6946) for the process offthis invention, a suitable nutrientmedium is prepared containing carbohydrate,'organic'nitrogen, cofactors, and inorganic salts. 'It is possible to omit the use of carbohydrates without completely impairing the growth of theorganism. The steroid compound, in the solid T condition or dissolved or suspended in a water-miscible solvent which is non-toxic towardthe organism, is added to the cultivated microorganism'in a broth medium under sterile conditions. This culture is then shaken, aerated or simultaneously aerated and agitated, in order to enhance the growth of the microorganism and the biochemical conversion of the steroid substrate. Th e steroid may be added to the broth medium and then inoculated wi tli'the bacterium, or the cultivated microorganism in broth medium may be added to the steroid. In certain 3,010,952 Patented Nov. 28, 1961 ice cases, depending on the condition of the reaction medium, it may be more desirable to obtain optimum growth of the microorganism before the addition of the steroid. Alternatively, enzyme preparations obtained in known manner from cultures of microorganism may be used in my process. a Y

In carrying out my process, the bacterium, such as Corynebacterium simplex, is cultivated in a suitable nutrient medium under aerobic conditions. After cultivation of the microorganism, the cell mass may be harvested by centrifuging the nutrient broth, decanting the'supernatant liquid and suspending the cell mass in saline. A suitable volume of the cell suspension is then seeded into a desirable nutrient :medium' for supporting growth of the microorganism. .The nutrient medium employed may be a yeast extract (Difco), casein hydro1ysate (N-Z-Arnine) (type B Sheffield), corn steep liquor, water extract or soybean oil meal, lactalbumin hydrolysate (Edamine-Sheffield enzymatic), fish solubles, and the like. Inorganic salts are desirable to maintain a pH level in the reaction medium of between 6.8 and 7.2, but the use of' such salts for buffering the reaction mixture may beomitted. The omission of inorganic salts causes the pH to rise from an initial value 01216.8 to about .7.7-8. This, however, will still permit the formation of the desired steroidal end products. The optimum temperature for growth of the selected microorganism is 37 C., but the temperatures may varybetween 25 and 37 C., 'and even between'ZO" and 40C. The time of reaction may vary from as little as 3 hours to as much as 48 hours. The lengthof time which is employed will depend on the steroid which is being transformed. Any water-miscible, non-toxic (to the organism) solvent may "be employed to dissolve or suspend the steroid prior to mixing with the culture. I prefer to use ethanol or acetone in such amounts that the final concentration of these solvents in the reaction mixture'is no higher than about 7% and may amount to only'traces; owing to evaporation, the final concentration of the organic solvent may even be practically zero.

Following the completion 'of the dehydrogenation proc- .ess, the products of reaction may be recovered from the mixture by extraction with a suitable water-immiscible solvent, by filtration,,by adsorption on a suitable adsorbent, or by any of the other procedures commonly used in the art. 7 For extraction, chlorinatedlower hydrocarbons, ketones and alcohols are useful; These include chloroform, methylene chloride, trichloroethane,

. ethylene dichloride, butanol, diethylketone, and others. Iprefer to use extraction as the method forv isolating the steroidal products. Following extraction, the products may be isolated byconcentration'bf the extract's to a small volume or to dryness. Purification of the residues In many of solvent mixture, such as'acetone, methylene chloride, ethanol, acetone hexane, methylene chloride-hexane, etc. affords the desired dienone in excellent 'yield" and high state of purity; j' I i The ester group at C17 is introduced preferentially following the microbiological dehydrogenation. The tertiary 17,8-hydroxyl group may be selectively acylated in the presence of the .ll'p-hydroxyl by heating with the appropriate carboxylic acid pionic,butyric, etc; I p p In an alternative procedure for the preparationof the compounds of the present invention, the appropriate 'C-2l steroid is' degraded by the action of sodiumbismutilate to the corresponding 17-ketosteroid whicli'can thenbe'ethinated'in thefc'onventional'manner.

While the degradation of the C- 2 1.ster'oids is customarily carried out in aqueous acetic acid solutions, other anhydride suchasgacetic, Ip-rowater-miscible fatty acids can be used in place ofthe acetic acid. The degradation of the side chain can also be accomplished by the use of lead tetraacetate, periodic acid or other equivalent mild oxidizing. systems.

Alternativelythe novel compounds: of my invention may be prepared by direct ethination of a 9a-halogeno- 1,4-androstadiene-3,17-dione. The l7-keto androstadiene is prepared as described in my. co-pending applications Serial No. 585,975, filed May 21, 1956, and Serial No. 776,401, .filed November 26, 1958, now Pat. No.

The therapeutically active compounds of the present invention are preferably administered orally in the form of tablets containing the desired dosage of the therapeutic compounds ofthe present invention, for example, from about 10 to about 50 mg, mixed with solid carrier'containing one or more of the usual ingredients, such as starch, sugar, gums, clays and the like.

The following examples are intended to illustrate the novel products herein disclosed and are not to be construed as limiting in any way the scope of the present invention. r V V This application is a continuation-in-part of mycopending application Serial No. 585,975, filed May 21, 1956, now abandoned, which itself is a continuation-inpart of co-pending application, Serial No. 449,257, filed August 11, 1954, and application, Serial No. 481,279, filed January 11, 1955, now US. Patent No. 2,837,464.

EXAMPLE A Purification technique A. 919,1];3-oxid0-4-pregnene-J 711-21 -dil-3,20-dion e. g. of 9,9,11fl-oxido-4-pregnene-17a,21-diol-3,20-dione 21-acetate, of Fried and Sabo, I.A.C.S., 75, 2273 (1953), is dissolved in 1 liter of methanol. Nitrogen gas bubbled through the solution, and a'solution of 1.5 g. of sodium hydroxide in ml. of water is added. The resulting solution is stirred for 30 minutes, neutralized with acetic acid'and concentrated in vacuo while adding water. The

precipitate is collected and crystallized from acetonemethanolto give the. desired product.

B. 9d,]1,80xid0-4-androstene-3J7-dione.7.5 g. of

'theoxido intermediate from part-A is dissolved in 1.0

liter of acetic acid with warming, and 1.0 liter of water is added. 135 g. of sodiurn'bisrnuthate' is then added and the mixture is stirred overnight at room temperature. 'Thes o'lids are filtered oil? and washed with methylene chloride. The mother liquoris diluted further with water and extracted with methylene chloride; The combined methylene chloride, fractions are washed neutral with sodium bicarbonate solution and water, dried; andevaporated to a residue. Crystallization from acetone-hexane yields 95,11fi-oxido-4androstene-3,i7-dione. i C; 3 11hr)blidino 9 3,115 oxid0-3 ,5 -andrj0stadine-1 7- one.,5 g. of the product of part B is suspended in 20 ml. of methanol and nitrogen gas is passed through the displace air. The mixture is heated to reflux and methanol is added'dropwhe to effect complete solution. To

" the boiling solution there is added 1.8 g. of 'pyrrolidine and the solution is boiled until crystals appear (about 5 the filtrate washed with cold methanol and dried in vacuo yielding the pyrrolidino intermediate of sulficient purity to carry out the next step.

D. 17-ethl'nyl-9BJ1B-oxido 4 andr0stene-I7flol-3- one-260 mg. of potassium is dissolved in 25 ml. of boiling redistilled t-amyl alcohol. This solution is added dropwise with stirring at room temperature to a solution of 150 ml. of anhydrous ether saturated with acetylene. A-fter five minutes of stirring, a solution in 150 ml. anhydrous ether of. 2 g. of the pyrrolidino intermediate product from part C is added dropwise over one hour while acetylene is bubbled through the stirred mixture. Bubbling and stirring is continued for 2 hours. Dilute acetic acid is. added cautiously and the mixture is boiled for 10 minutes and then extracted with ether. The ether solution is washed to neutrality with sodium bicarbonate Solution and water, dried and evaporated. The residue is crystallized from acetone-methanol to give the above named intermediate.

E. 9a-fluor0-17-ethinyl 4 androstene-l 1,3,1 7fl-di0l-3- one.0.5 g. of the product from part D is dissolved in 10 ml. of anhydrous methylene chloride, chilled to 30 and treated with a solution of 0.1 g. of hydrogen fluoride in methylene chloride. After 2 hours, the solution was washed with 5% aqueous sodium bicarbonate, dried and evaporated. The residue is crystallized from acetonemethanol to give the fluoro compound of this section.

F. 9 aflame-17a -ethinyl -1,4-androstadieneJ1fi,l7ddi0I-3-0ne.-Bacillus sphaericus (A.T.C.C. 7055) is incubated on nutrient agar for 24 hours at 28 C. One loopful of the culture is then transferred to 100 ml. of sterile 1% yeast extract (BasaminBusch) of pH 6.8. The inoculated culture is incubated on a shaking machine for 6 hours at 28 C. and the resultant broth culture is used as a standard inoculum at a level of 1 percent.

The standard inoculum is added to each of ten 300 ml. shake flasks containing respectively 100 ml. of 1% yeast extract at pH 6.8. At the end of 18 hours there 'is added to each flask 50 mg. of 9a-fluoro-17a-ethinyl-4- androstene-l15,1713-diol-3-one. The transformation proceeded rapidly and at the end of 24 hours, the contents 'of the remaining flasks were pooled and extracted exhaustively with a total of 3 liters of chloroform. The extracts were concentrated to a residue which recrystallized from acetone-methanol to give the product of this example.

EXAMPLE 2 9a-flu0r0-1 7a-etkinyl-1,4-androstadiene-1IBJ 7d-diol- 3-onea loopful, 2 ml. of Corynebacrerium simplex. The resulting suspensions are incubated at 30 C. on a shaking machine for 18 hours. 0.5 g. of 4-androstene-11fi-ol-3d7- dione is dissolved in 25 ml. of acetone and the resulting solution is distributed equally among the ten flasks containing the 18 hours growth of Corynebacterium simplex.

. The culture containing'the 4-androstene-l1/3-ol-3,17-dione is then incubated at 30 C. for 24 hours. At the end of '24 hours, the contents ofthe flasks are combined and extracted with a total" of 3-liters' of chloroform. The

crude chloroform extract from the transformation is concentratedto a residue which is crystallized from methylene chloride-hexane affording 0.35 g. of crystalline solid,

M.P. 167-172 C. Recrystallization from the same solvent mixture attorded 1,4-androstadiene-11fi-ol-3,17-dione, M.P. 176-179 C. I r J B. 1,4,9(11) anrlroslatriene-3,17-dicne.--93.5 g. of 1,4- androstadiene-l1flpl-3,i7-dione (frorn12A) .is dissolved in 1100 ml. of dimethylformamide and 100 ml. pyridine. The mixture is cooled in C.. and 78.4 g. of methanesulfonyl chloride is added dropwise. The reaction mixture is stirred at room temperature overnight. (At 22 hours, paper chromatography shows reaction to be 98% complete.)

After. stirring for 24-30 hours, the reaction mixture is diluted with water and extracted with three portions of methylene chloride. The combined methylene chloride extracts are washed with sodium bicarbonate and water and then concentrated to dryness in vacuo to yield 77 g. of crude product.

Purification is effected by recrystallization from acetone-hexane yielding 48 g. of pure l, 4,9( l1)-androstatriene-3,l7-dione, M.P. 164167 C., [cc] +104.2 (dioxane). v

C. 9a-br0m0-A -aizdrostadiene-J 15-0! 3,17 di0ne.

I 47 g. of 1,4,9'(1l)-androstatriene-3,l7-dione (from 213) is dissolved in 2.0 liters of tetrahydrofuran (previously purified by first standing overnight over potassium hydroxide pellets followed by distillation in the presence of lithium aluminum hydride) and 6 50 ml. of water. The reaction mixture is cooled in an ice bath and 65 g. o f N- bromoacetamide is added followed by the dropwise'addition of 650 ml. 0.1 N-perchloric acid. The reaction is stirred at room temperature for 24 hours.

The reaction mixture is then treated .with sodium sulfite to destroy excess N-bromoacetamide; diluted with water and extracted with methylene chloride. The methylene chloride extract is washed with sodium bicarbonate and water, dried with magnesium sulfate and concentrated to dryness in vacuo to'yield the crude product as a yellow solid. Crystallization from acetone-hexane afiords 43 g. of pure bromohydrin, M.P. l7ll73 C. dec., [a] +1323 (dioxane).

D. 9 3,] 1 fi-oxido-A -cmdrostadiene-iI 7 dione.4l g. of 9u-bromo-1l d-hydroxy-l,4-androstadiene-3,l7-dione is dissolved in 2.0 liters of acetone and refluxed with 100 g. anhydrous potassium acetate.

After 17 hours, the reaction mixture is concentrated to dryness in vacuo. The residual solid is extracted with methylene chloride to yield 32 g. of crude product which upon crystallization from acetone-hexane affords 27 g. of the pure epoxide of this example; M.P. 164l65 C., [a] +83.6 (dioxane).

E. 9a-flu0r0-1,4-andr0stadiene-1Idol-3,17 di0ne.25 g. of 9,8,11 3-oxido-1,4-androstadiene-3,l7-dione is dis solved in 75 ml. of methylene chloride in a polyethylene bottle. 100 ml. of 48% aqueous hydrogen fluoride is added and the two-phase system is stirred with high speed agitation.

After 16 hours the reaction mixture is added to a saturated aqueous solution of sodium bicarbonate and extracted with methylene chloride. The methylene chloride extract is washed with water and concentrated in vacuo to yield 28 g. of crude fluorohydrin.

The crude product is purified by crystallization from acetone-hexane yielding 13.9 g. of the fluorohydrin of this example, M.P. 252253 C. dec., [0:] +113.6 (dioxane).

Alternatively, this compound may be prepared as follows:

1.91 g. of 9u-fluoro-1,4-pregnadiene-l1B,17u,2l-triol- 3,20-dione is dissolved in 250 ml. of acetic acid with warming, and 250 ml. of water is added. 36 g. of sodium bismuthate is then added and the mixture is stirred overnight at room temperature. The solid is filtered oif and washed with methylene chloride. The mother liquor is diluted further with water and extracted with methylene chloride. The organic layer is washed neutral with sodium bicarbonate solution and water, dried and evaporated to a residue. Crystallization from methylene chloride-hexane gave the desired product.

F 9a fluoro 17a-ethinyl 1,4-andr0stadiene-1I/3,17,8- di0l-3one.-In a 1 liter flask, equipped with a large Dry- Ice condenser, magnetic stirrer and gas inlet tube, in-

ample, M.P. 274-279 d.,

sulated with glass wool, is placed about 300 ml. of ammonia. Sulfuric acid washed acetylene is bubbled in with stirring for 35 minutes, then, while acetylene addition is continued, 250 mg. sodium metal is added in several pieces. After 25 minutes 1.0 g. of 9a-fluor0-A -androstadiene-l l,8-0l-3,17-dione in. .15 ml. of dry :tet-rahydrofuran is" added dropv'vise. The mixture .is stirredunder acetylene for 4 hours,. then ml. of ethyl ether and 100 ml. of tetrahydrofuranare added and the solvent is allowed to evaporate at room temperature overnight. Ethyl ether and Water are added and the mixture slightly acidified with hydrochloric acid. The mixture is ex- .tracted with ether and the combined extracts washed with water, dried, and concentrated. Addition of ether and acetone. gives crystalline material which is recrystallized from acetone-hexane to yield the compound of this exf The 17-monoacetate of the compound'of example is prepared by.' heating the substance. in acetic anhydride on a steam bath for several hours,. coolingy diluting with water and'filter'ing." The 17-monoacetate is purified by recrystallization from acetone-hexane. In similar fashion other esters such as the propionateibutyrate are prepared.

f "EXAMPLE'3 ga tfluaro-lZit ezhinyl-I,4-andfostgzdiene-I7fi 0l drostadiene is dissolved in 10 m1. of pyridine which is added to mg. of chromium trioxide in 10 ml. of pyridine. The reaction mixture is allowed to stand at room temperature for 5 hours.

The mixture is poured into water and extracted with methylene chloride. The combined methylene chloride extracts are Washed with dilute sulfuric acid and water and concentrated to dryness in vacuo to a residue. The residue is purified by crystallization from acetone-hexane yielding the fluoro ketone of this example.

EXAMPLE 4 9ot-br0mq-l 7a-ethinyl-1 ,4-andr0stadiene-11 ,B,1 7B- diol-3-one By substituting an equivalent quantity of 9u-bromo- 1,4-androstadiene-1lfl-ol-3,l7-dione (prepared as described in Example 2C) for 9a-fluoro-1,4-androstadiene- 11B-ol-3,17-dione in Example 2F, there is obtained the corresponding bromo diene of this example. Purification is effected by recrystallization from acetone-hexane.

EXAMPLE 5 A. 90: chlord-A -androstadiene-11fl-ol-3,l 7-dione.-

2 g. of 95,11fi-oxido-A -androstadiene-3,17-dione (prepared as described in Example 2D) is dissolved in 6 ml. of methylene chlorideand agitated with 6 m1. of concentrated hydrochloric acid.

After 20 hours the reaction mixture is diluted with water and extracted with methylene chloride. The methylene chloride solution is washed with sodium bicarbonate and water and concentrated to dryness in vacuo. The residue is crystallized from acetone-hexane yielding the purified chlorohydrin, M.P. 238.0-238.5 C. dec., [a] +139.6 (dioxane).

B. 90; chloro I7a-ethinyl-1,4-androstadflene-11 3,173- diol-3-0ne.-By substituting an equivalent quantity of 9achloro-1,4-androstadiene-l1/3-o1-3,17-dione (prepared as described in. Example 2C) for 9a-fluoro-L4-androstadiene-1lfi-ol-3,17-dione in Example 2F, the above identified androstadiene is obtained.

7 EXAMPLE 6 9a-brom0-1 7u-ethinyl-l' ,4-androstadiene-1 75-01- 3,11-dione Treating the compound of Example 4 to the oxidative procedure of Example 3, the above dione of this example diol-3-one.

In similar fashion, the '17a-propargy1 analogs of the compounds of Examples 3, 4, 5 and 6 are prepared.

Esterification discussed in Example 2F is also applicable to the preparation of other alkanoio esters such as the hemisuccinate and the dehydrogen phosphate. These esters are especially useful in the formation of water'soluble preparations by virtue of the fact that sodium salts of the partial esters can be prepared in the conventional manner.

An ultimate procedure for the preparation of compounds of this invention is to alkynate the oxido compound of Example 21) giving rise'to 9B,11fi-0Xid0-17aethinyl 1,4 androstadiene 17B-ol-3-one. Opening the epoxide ring, as describedin Example 2, yields the final product of this invention.

I claim:' i,

lgcompounds of the group consisting of 9oc-Y-11X- l7a-lower alkynyl-1,4-androstadiene-17,8-0l-3-ones wherein X is a member of the group consisting of O and (H, [301-1) and Y is a halogen having an atomic weight less than 100.

2. Compounds of the group consisting of 9a-Y-l7otlower -alkynyl-1,4-andr0stadiene 115,175 diol 3 ones wherein Y is a halogen having an atomic weight less than 3. Compounds of the group consisting of 9m-Y-17alower alkynyl-l,'4-androstadiene-l 718-01-3, 1 l-diones wherein Y is a halogen having an atomic weight less than 100.

4. 9a-fluoro-1'Iu-ethinyl-1,4-androstadiene-1 113,175-dio1- 3-one.

5. 9a-fluoro-17a-ethinyl-1,Landrostadiene-l'IB-ol- 3 ,1 l-dione.

6. 9a-bromo-l7a-ethinyl-1,4 androstadiene-11,8,1713- diol-3-one.

7. 9a-chloro-17a-ethinyl-1,4-androstadiene-l 15, diol-3-one.

8. 9a-bromo-17a-ethinyl-1,4-androstadiene-l7;8-o1-3,11- dione.

9. 9a-chloro-17a-ethinyl-1,4-androstadiene-175-ol-3,11- dione. I

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,793,218 Herr May 21, 1957 2,816,121 Gould et al Dec. 10, 1957 2,845,381 Tindall July 29, 1958 

1. COMPOUNDS OF THE GROUPS CONSISTING OF 9A-Y-11X17A-LOWER ALKYNYL-1,4-ANDROSTADIENE-17B-OL-3-ONES WHEREIN X IS A MEMBER OF THE GROUP CONSISTING OF O AND (H, BOH) AND Y IS A HALOGEN HAVING AN ATOMIC WEIGHT LESS THAN
 100. 10. 9B,11B-OXIDO-17A-ETHINYL-1,4-ANDROSTANDIENE-17-B-OL3-ONE. 